This invention relates to a fluid line swivel joint connector having a quick disconnectable coupling for uncoupling and shutting flow of the fluid through the line, and more particularly to a ball joint or spherical swivel connector having detachable means which quickly decouples to shut flow communication at the joint when the tensile load at the joint is above a predetermined level. The connector has specific application for use in a fuel supply line of a fuel dispensing station for permitting a dispensing nozzle to pivot relative to the fuel line or permitting a first section of the line to pivot relative to another section.
It is known in the fuel dispensing art to include a swivel connector at the dispenser/hose interface so that twisting loads applied to the dispenser are not transmitted to the hose resulting in twisting thereof Such swivels merely permit the dispenser, such as a fuel dispensing nozzle, to be pivoted about one or more axes relative to the axis of the hose, the swivel permitting flow communication between the hose and the dispensing device.
Additionally, it is known to utilize quick disconnect or breakaway couplings in the fuel line spaced from the dispenser so that if a vehicle is driven away from the fuel dispensing station before the dispensing nozzle is removed from the filler neck of the vehicle, an uncoupling will result, shutting the flow of fuel and preventing the volatile fuel to be spilled due to either a dislodging of the moorings of the fuel dispensing station, breakage of the hose, or other failure of the fuel dispensing system. The prior art has proposed a number of decouplers which are actuated by a tensile force on the line. A frangible or shear pin has been proposed and utilized in a number of devices, one such device being illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. No. 3,719,194, and another being illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,993. Additionally, at least one other device utilizes an infrangible decoupler, such as a groove with spring-loaded detent balls retained together by a collar and uncoupled when a tensile force of predetermined amount is applied to the collar, this device being illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. No. 4,617,975.
In these and the other known quick disconnects the decoupling units are axially or straight flow through devices which are placed in the fuel line generally a short distance from the fuel dispenser. These devices have not been utilized in or attached to the dispensing nozzle since this would subject them to lateral forces resulting in premature uncoupling of the device, thereby creating a substantial nuisance situation.
In our aforesaid copending U.S. application No. 07/107,947, the problems and deficiencies of the prior art decoupler units are described and combination swivel joint and quick disconnect coupling devices are disclosed and claimed, the devices have coupling means between first and second body members which swivel relatively to one another and the coupling means acting normally to connect the body members in flow communication and for decoupling when an external tensile force above a predetermined level is applied to the fuel line, and valving acting for shutting flow communication when the body members are decoupled.
Other swivel joint connectors in the prior art are known to have a ball or spherical joint for providing universal movement of one body member relative to a second body member. Such connectors suffer from the same deficiencies of the other known prior art swivel joint connectors in that they have no quick disconnect or breakaway feature to uncouple when the tensile load exceeds a predetermined amount. Thus, if such protection is provided provision must be made by using a separate coupling device having the quick disconnecting features.